The Aviator Soars Higher than Before

March 6th, 2005

The Aviator beat weekend estimates by a substantial margin leading to a $5.9 million box office on 3000 screens in 34 markets. The multi-Oscar winning movie has hit $86.2 million internationally and will cross $200 million worldwide before too long. The film dropped a spot to fifth place in South Korea with $834,660 for the week and slipped to second in Australia with $798,000. The only market the film opened it was Argentina, where it easily took top spot with $232,000.

Million Dollar Baby only had two debuts over the weekend and they were unimpressive. In the Netherlands the $128,000 on 30 screens for an uninspiring per screen average of $4267 and it was barely better in Switzerland with $240,000 on 54. Holdovers were another matter as the film grew 4% in Italy to $1.1 million on 222 screens. The film also grew in Australia to $667,000 for the week and in Spain $1.3 million. Overall the film added $4.6 million to its $24.8 million international box office, however, after its Oscar performance that is just the tip of the iceberg.

Shark Tale finally opened in Italy easily taking top spot with $3.95 million on 401 screens lifting its international tally to $175 million. The film is only playing on a handful of screens in a few other markets and in total add just over $100,000 more to the film's weekend take.

Sideways fell flat in another market this weekend as it could do no better than $117,000 on 80 screens in Mexico. On the other hand, the film's box office increased by more than 10% in Spain to $880,000 and opened in fifth place in Argentina with $87,419 on 10 screens for the best per screen average in the market. With an additional $3.8 million over the weekend the film's international total grew to $20 million and its worldwide total is easily headed above $100 million with Japan and Russia still ahead. Of course, it would probably reach that milestone even if it didn't earn another dollar internationally.

There are no new major market releases in Ocean's Twelve's future, but this week it was still able to add $2.7 million on 1100 screens to is international box office of $231 million. It lost 20% in Japan to land at $1.1 million and third place, while it saw its U.K. box office sliced in half by the post-holiday weekend to $1.25 million, also good enough for third place.

Hitch added three more number one debuts to its international run helping the film to $2.66 million on 700 screens for an early international box office of $6.1 million. It's best debut came in Taipei with $428,000 on just 20 screens with South Africa just behind in terms or raw dollars at $427,000, but that was on 80 screens. Its best market overall continued to be Mexico with $1.0 million over the weekend and $3.3 million overall.

SpongeBob SquarePants was hurt but the post-holiday weekend in Europe dropping 51% in the U.K. to $1.065 million on 426 screens. That was nearly half the film's $2.5 million weekend, which lifted the film's international box office to $44.5 million so far.

Iznogoud: Calife à la Place du Calife, dropped another spot in France to third with $2.28 million for the week, down 53% from last week.

The Magic Roundabout was hurt particular harshly by the post holiday weekend dropping 53% in the U.K. to just $1.03 million, well it held up much better in France dropping just 26% to $956,000. That gave it $1.99 million for the weekend and $14.7 million overall.

White Noise opened in Germany but managed just $591,000 over the weekend missing the top five. The film did better in its debut in Russia with a $400,000, second place finish and Austria with $200,000, good enough for third place. Overall the film brought in nearly $2 million to push its international total past $20 million.

Die Wilden Kerle II stayed in third place during its second weekend of release in its native Germany pulling in $1.64 million over the weekend lifting its two week total to $4.7 million. The film also opened in neighboring Austria with $195,000 on 45 screens, good enough for fourth in the market.

Spanglish is doing no better internationally than it did domestically. It widest release this week came in the U.K. where the film flopped with just $580,000, missing the top ten. It also dropped out of the top ten in Spain with just $350,000 during its seconded weekend. On the other hand, the film held up reasonably well in Australia dropping to $535,000 while remaining in fourth place. Overall the film managed just $1.8 million on over 100 screens for an early box office of just $6.3 million.

Andrew Lloyd-Webber's The Phantom of the Opera continues its inexplicable run atop the Japanese box office with $1.775 million this week. Thanks to its impressive run in Japan, ($25 million and counting) the film now has $83 million internationally and profit is within reach, as long as its home market numbers are strong.

After hitting $100 million worldwide last weekend, Closer is just wrapping up its run adding $1.6 million to its international total of $70.4 million.

It seems like every week another German film has an impressive debut in that market. This week it was Sophie Scholl - Die Letzen Tage, (roughly translated, 'The Final Days.') The WWII pic deals with the German Resistance movement called, The White Rose and earned $1,443,977 during the week on just 202 screens. The film also opened in Austria, but only managed $81,684 on 18 screens.

Cuore Sacro, a.k.a. Sacred Heart, opened in its native market of Italy earning a fourth place finish with $1,151,146 on 319 screens, a good start but nothing too special, especially compared with how well other major European markets have developed their movie industries.

Take about long legs, Howl's Moving Castle is still in the top five in Japan after 15 weeks of release. The film added $1.1 million in that market and an estimated $400,000 in France for a $213 million box office so far.

The post holiday weekend didn't hurt Are We There Yet? nearly as much as other films at the U.K. box office as the film was off just 34% to $1.13 million, which allowed the film to climb into the top five. In Germany the film dropped 36%, barely holding onto 10th place with $282,000. So far the film has only opened in those two markets, but it debuted in Italy this weekend and Australia next weekend.

Another French comedy, Je préfère qu'on reste amis, (roughly translated: I Prefer That One Remains Friendly) opened in 6th place with $1,281,659 on 269 screens. Not as strong as some other French films have opened there, but yet another sign that the French film industry is healthy nonetheless.

Birth opened in Spain with $1.26 million on 197 screens, good enough for third place and probably a fast enough start to allow the film to top the $5 million it earned domestically.

Shall We Dance? drop 40% during its second weekend in the U.K. to $1.24 million. That was enough for the film to climb to fourth place lifting its total in the market to $4.35 million and $77.35 million internationally.

Pooh's Heffalump Movie maintained its hold on top spot in Finland climbing to $260,000 in the market and $1.2 million internationally.

The Bourne Supremacy still doing well in Japan with $1.2 million lifting its total in the market to $8.4 million and internationally to $109 million.

Chances are the French comedy, Espace Détente, has spent its last week in the top ten in its native market. It did take home $1.1 million there, which raises its total in the market to $10.7 million.

The Incredibles is just wrapping up its international run this weekend adding $1 million to its $368 million international box office, a large chunk of which came from Hong Kong.

Felix - The Film finished fifth in both German and Austria with a combined $950,000 for the week.

Coach Carter started its international run with $902,600 on 180 screens in the U.K., barely strong enough for eighth place. Given the popularity of Basketball in the market, this is not a surprising start.

Last weekend, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou made its London debut earning $87,616 in its one theatre, this weekend it opened wide with just $877,000 on 207 screens. Not an impressive debut.

Downfall saw its box office climb in its sophomore sessions in both Spain, ($644,000, up 4%) and Norway, ($231,000 up 10%.)

The Notebook continues its run in Japan, one of its last markets, with $811,817 for the week and $7,342,659 total in that market. With just Italy as the last significant market, the film has earned $29.4 million internationally and $110 million worldwide.

Racing Stripes has spent its last weekend in the top ten in the U.K. with $734,000, down 55% from last weekend. Overall the film brought in an estimated $800,000, which pushed its international total to nearly $20 million, most of which has come from the three English speaking international markets, (U.K. $10.7 million, Australia $6.7 million and New Zealand $700,000.)

Hotel Rwanda opened in limited release in several markets with mixed results. It's biggest market overall was Spain with $417,000 on 150 screen. However, its performed much better in the U.K. where it took in $156,000 on just 17 screens for the second best per screen average for a non-IMAX film. The last market the film opened in, Australia, the results were somewhere in between with $140,000 on 41 screens, (170,000 including sneak peaks.)

Alexander added another $690,000 in Japan to lift its box office in the market to $9.7 million and its international box office to $128 million.

After showing strong legs in Italy last weekend, The Merchant of Venice saw its fortunes sliced nearly in half to just $665,000. It has now earned $3.8 million in that market and $5.8 million internationally.

The post holiday weekend was especially brutal to Son of the Mask as it dropped 59% to just $631,000 for the week. So far the film has earned $5.6 million in that market and about $6.5 million internationally.

Bride and Prejudice's second weekend in Australia saw the film drop 26% to $587,000 while maintaining its third place standing. This is a good result for a film playing on only 99 screens, and its per screen average is the second best on the top twenty. The film also opened in Canada over the weekend finishing fifth with $254,796. (Of course, this number in lumped in with the domestic total, but I wanted to point out how well the movie is doing it relative to did in the States. Ong-Bak was another film that did very well in Canada earning more than $1.2 million in just three weeks of release.

The Sea Inside opened in Mexico last week earning $535,000 and a fifth place finish, which is one of the film's better results.

The Princess Diaries 2 finally opened in Japan with $476,975 on 172 screens, that's a very low per screen average for the market meaning the film will most likely drop out of the market very fast. The news was no better in Chile as the film could only manage a 10th place, $36,717 opening on 19 screens. However, the film will finish with nearly $40 million internationally, a very good total considering its target demographic.

Revised numbers for Blade: Trinity's debut in Mexico last week are in and the $337,000 is not nearly as bad as the previous reports indicated. It's not a great result by any stretch of the imagination, but Mexico has never been friendly to horror films. As for this week's numbers, the film has dropped off the radar screen and the partial data we have shows it earned about $500,000 for a $58 million international box office. Things should pick up during the next week as the film opened this week in Italy and in Spain the week after.

The Forgotten lost more than half its box office during its second weekend in Italy landing at $460,000. That did lift its international box office to $43.8 million.

In Good Company saw its weekend box office plummet 62% in the U.K. to $436,000 for the weekend and $2.1 million total. The only positive aspect is the film had a strong enough domestic run that it should still make a profit, it will just take till the home market before that happens.

Last weekend Flight of the Phoenix spent its last weekend in the top ten in Spain with $400,000 lifting its international total to $5 million. Next week the film should have a bigger impact on the international market as it opens in the U.K. and it could take in $10 million in that market alone.

House of Flying Daggers fell by 45% during its second weekend of semi-limited release in Australia landing at $334,000 and 7th place. Not the kind of legs the studio was hoping for.

Italy is usually very kind to films that only manage a limited release Stateside, so for The Assassination of Richard Nixon to barely make the top ten with $293,391 on 100 screens is a little disappointing. In the end, the film should earn more in Italy than it will domestically.

The Whole Ten Yards opened in South Korea with $279,162 on 90 screens; that made it the ninth place film for the week and also the lowest per screen average in the top ten.

Alone in the Dark debuted in Germany last week with just $262,193 on 80 screens, missing the top ten in 15th place. This was, however, better than expected.

Vera Drake opened in limited release in Spain with $117,756 on 56 screens. The film did better in New Zealand finishing 8th with $32,000 on 8 screens and is still holding up well in Australia with $80,000 during the week.

The Woodsman just missed the top twenty in its limited release debut in the U.K. with $200,974 on 22 screens. It has a reasonable shot at some strong legs and could beat its domestic box office in this one market.

Cellular is just wrapping up its international run with $110,000 during its third week in Australia. Its most lucrative market was France at just under $2.5 million while it amassed just $22.5 million internationally.

After a poor start in the U.K. Criminal lost 70% of it weekly box office landing at just $56,613.

Bubba Ho-Tep wasn't what Australian Audiences were looking for as the film could do no better than 23rd place with $23,413 on 17 screens. The film did no better in the U.K. earning $122,539 during its entire run there.

Eulogy was died in Australia with just $17,894 on 13 screens for 28th spot.

When Team America: World Police only managed $126,000 during its opening week in Mexico I didn't think it could get much worse, but this week that figure dropped to just $7,134, down 94%.